Laniatores
Laniatores is the largest suborder of the arachnid order Opiliones with over 4,200 described species worldwide. The majority of the species are highly dependent on humid environments and usually correlated with tropical and temperate forest habitats. Laniatores are typically (relatively) short-legged, hard-plated, spiny Opiliones, common under logs and stones, in leaf litter and in caves. They often have spiny pedipalps and paired or branched claws on the third and fourth pairs of legs[1]. The largest family is Gonyleptidae Sundevall, 1833, endemic of the Neotropics, with over 800 valid species and showing many cases of maternal and paternal care. Diagnosis Dorsal scutum consisting in a single piece, carapace or peltidium entirely fused with abdominal scutum. Pedipalpus usually robust and armed with strong spines. Ovipositor short, unsegmented (derived character state shared with the Dyspnoi). Penis complex, with many sclerites, some movable, a single penial muscle present, but mostly penis without any muscles, working by hemolymph pressure. Subtaxa Organization follows Kury (2013)Kury, A.B. (2013a) Order Opiliones Sundevall, 1833. In: Zhang, Z.-Q. (Ed.) Animal Biodiversity: An Outline of Higher-level Classification and Survey of Taxonomic Richness (Addenda 2013). Zootaxa, 3703(1), 27–33.. *Infraorder "Insidiatores" Loman, 1900 (probably diphyletic) **Superfamily Travunioidea Absolon & Kratochvil, 1932 **Superfamily Triaenonychoidea Sørensen, 1886 *Infraorder Grassatores Kury, 2002 **Superfamily Assamioidea Sørensen, 1884 **Superfamily Epedanoidea Sørensen, 1886 **Superfamily Phalangodoidea Simon, 1879 **Superfamily Samooidea Sørensen, 1886 **Superfamily Zalmoxoidea Sørensen, 1886 **Superfamily Gonyleptoidea Sundevall, 1833 Definitions and limits of superfamilies are still in a state of flux. The largest by far is the Gonyleptoidea, with almost 2,500 described species. There are alternative hypotheses of internal relationships in the LaniatoresKury, A.B. (2015) Opiliones are no longer the same—on suprafamilial groups in harvestmen (Arthropoda: Arachnida). Zootaxa, 3925(3), 301–340. 2 Mar. 2015., for example: 1) Synthetonychiidae versus Eulaniatores. 2) Travunioidea versus Trichospilata. Geographic distribution Distribution of subunits of Laniatores is very interesting from the biogeographic point of view. The Travunioidea are typical of northern temperate regions while the Triaenonychoidea make their counterpart in the southern temperate regions. The other superfamilies are tropical, with many noteworthy endemisms and transcontinental relationships. Genitalia Penis may have internal muscle (Insidiatores) or not, in the latter case, it is operated by hemolymph (Grassatores). Ovipositor unjointed. Ovipositor.jpg|Ovipositor Cosmetidae- Flirtea quinquelineata (Simon, 1879) Copyright Andrés García Penis.jpg|Penis Cosmetidae- Flirtea quinquelineata ''(Simon, 1879) Copyright Andrés García Penis_apical.jpg|Penis Cosmetidae- ''Flirtea quinquelineata ''(Simon, 1879) Copyright Andrés García References Additional images - Gallery Cyptobunus ungulatus - Model Cave - Hedin cropped.jpg|Travunioidea - ''Cyptobunus ungulatus Copyright © M. Hedin. Used with permission.|link=Travunioidea Austromontia silv NCA 97-255 Groenkop 1.jpg|Triaenonychoidea - Austromontia silvatica Lawrence, 1931. Photo copyright A.B. Kury. Used with permission.|link=Triaenonychoidea Pyramidops pygmaea Loman 1902 - male lectotype by Sharma et al 2011.jpg|Assamioidea - Pyramidops pygmaea Loman, 1902. Male lectotype by Sharma et al 2011|link=Assamioidea Tithaeus - Singapore - by Anker - 500 px.jpg|Epedanoidea - Tithaeus sp. - Singapore - from flickr. Copyright © Arthur Anker. Used with permission.|link=Epedanoidea Sitalcina by Hedin.jpg|Phalangodoidea - Sitalcina sura Briggs, 1968 - USA - from flickr. Copyright © Marshal Hedin. Used with permission.|link=Phalangodoidea Biantidae by WJ.jpg|Samooidea - Biantes sp. - Singapore - from flickr. Copyright © wj http://www.flickr.com/photos/37823682@N04/. Used with permission.|link=Samooidea Fissiphalliidae from Colombia.JPG|Zalmoxoidea - Fissiphalliidae from Colombia highlands. Photo copyright © Miguel Medrano. Used with permission.|link=Zalmoxoidea P smaragdula by Bernabé.jpg|Gonyleptoidea - Paecilaemula smaragdula Mello-Leitão, 1941, from Brazil. Photo copyright Tiago N. Bernabé. Used with permission.|link=Gonyleptoidea Category:Suprafamilial groups Category:Australasian Category:Afrotropical Category:Neotropical Category:Nearctic Category:Palearctic Category:Indo-Malaya